Field



(No Model.)

W. W. ROSENFIELD.

RAILWAY GAR GATE.

1 No. 288,494. 'rB-ate'nted Nov. 13, 1883.

Inventar:

777m. 77: Rosenjielob, I 'Zy 711's Attorneys UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAMW. 'ROSENFIELD, on NEW YORK, n. Y., AssIeNon TO Joserrr ARON, or SAME PLACE.

RAILWAY-CAR GATE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 288,494, dated November 13, 1883. Application filed April 3, 1883. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, WILLIAM W. Rosen- FIELD, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city of New York, county of New York, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Gates for Railway-Cars, fully described and represented inthe following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

In many classes ofrailway-cars, and particularly in those used upon the elevated and other city railways, it has been found necessary, in

order to prevent passengers from falling from the train, and also to prevent persons from attempting to get off or on a car while in motion, to provide the entrances to the car-platforms with gates,by which they can be closed except at the proper times. These gates are usually in charge of a guard or attendant, whose duty it is to close the gates before the to open them only after the train has come to a full stop.

As there is usually but one guard or attendant stationed between each two adjoining cars, it follows that to open or close both gates he must pass around from one to the other of the adjoining platforms. This passing from one platform to the other, besides being a source of annoyance to the guard, occasions some delay, which is very annoying to the passengers, particularly at times when a large number are required to get off or on a car in a very short time.

It is the object of the present invention, among other things, to provide means by which the guard or attendant can, without changing his position, open or close both gates simultaneously and with the least possible delay.

To that end one feature of the invention consists in providing the gates with connections so arranged that any two adjoining gates can be simultaneously opened or closed by the guard while standing in the passage-way leading from one of the cars to the other.

In order to adapt cars to run upon a track in which there are abrupt or comparatively abrupt curves, which is the case with most city railways, it is necessary that the platforms should be so constructed asto leave considervention.

able open space at the sides between the platforms of two adjoining cars when they are standing upon a straight track. This open space has frequently been the cause of serious accidents topersons who have been crowded from the station-platform and fallen between the platforms of the cars.

Another object of the present invention is toprovide means by which this danger shall be avoided; and to this end another feature of the invention consists in providing a gate which can be operated, in connection with one of the platform-gates, to close this space and prevent persons from falling or being crowded into the same while the train is standing at a station.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the adjoining platforms of two cars, showing the gates upon one side open and those upon the opposite side closed, the

gates being provided with an opening and closing apparatus embodying the present in- Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same, one of the gates being closed; and Fig. 3 is a plan View illustrating a modification in the opening apparatus to be hereinafter explained.

Referring to said drawings, it is to be understood that A A represent two ordinary railway-cars, and B B the adjoining platforms thereof, 0 0 being the usual entrances from the station-platform, and D D gates of the or dinary construction for closing said entrances. The gates D are hinged, in the usual manner, to posts a, rising from the corners of the platforms and close against the usual jambs (not shown) projecting from the sides of the cars. The platforms B are provided, as shown in Fig. 1, with the usual guard-railings, 1), extending inward from the-posts a to similar posts, 0, which are located a sufficient distance apart to leave a passage-way, G, from one car to the other. When the gates are thus arranged, it is necessary, as will readily be seen, in order to close or open bothgates, for the guard to pass from one platform around the posts 0 to the opposite platform, thus causing some delay in opening or closing one of the gates, and adding to the labor of the guard,

and causing annoyance to the passengers. In order to avoid this, each of the gates is provided, at a suitable distance from its hinge, with a curved lever, d, which extends rearward and terminates a short distance outside of the railing b. This lever is connected by a link, 6, with a rod, f, which slides freely in or on a suitable bearing, as g, secured to the railing b, and is provided at its inner end with a handle, h, by which it can be operated. From this arrangement it will be seen that the guard or attendant, while standing in the passage-way G, can, by grasping the two handles h and pushing or pulling the rods f, open or close both of the gates simultaneously and without loss of time. The rods f will preferably be provided with some form of locking mechanism by which the gates can be fastened in their opened or closed positions. Such locking may be accomplished by having the handles 71. pivoted to the rods f, as shown in the present case, and provided with extensions 'i, which can be turned soas to extend in front of the posts 0 and hold the gates closed, as shown at the top of Fig. 1, or so as to lie in the rear of lugs 70 and hold the gate open,

as shown at the bottom of said figure.

Although it is preferable that the rods f and links 6 should be arranged upon the outside of the railings b, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, as in this position they will be entirely out of the way, and will not prevent the gates from swinging back against the railings I), yet this arrangement is not necessary. The rods and links may, as shown in Fig. 3, be arranged upon the inside of the railings, in which case the levers (1 may be dispensed with, the links 0 being attached directly to the gates.

' It will also be seen that the connections for operating the gates may, if desired, be placed beneath the platforms. This can readily be accomplished by causing the rods or posts upon which the gates swing to extend below the platforms, and providing their lower ends with arms corresponding to the levers d. The links 6 and rods f may then be located beneath the platforms and operated by pivoted levers, the upper ends of which will occupy substantially the positions of the handles it.

If preferred, the gates may be hinged at their opposite ends, so as to lie against the body of the car when open, in which case the connections beneath the platforms will only require such modification as is necessary to change the direction of the motion derived from the operating-levers. In some cases, also, it may be preferable to provide sliding instead of swinging gates. Such gates can readily be operated in the same manner by a very slight modification in -the connections. In cars of this class it is necessary, as has been explained, that a considerable space, E, should be left between the sides of the adjoining platforms. In order to prevent persons from falling or be1 n g crowded from the station -pl atform into this space, one of the two adjoining gates D is provided with two or more arms, on, similar in shape to the levers (Z, to the ends of which is attached a gate, F, which extends at substantially right angles to the gate D, as shown in Fig. 1. From this arrangement it results that when the train is in motion and the gates D are closed the gate F will be swung to the position shown at the top of Fig. 1, so as to lie close to the railing b, and not interfere with the movement of the cars in passing around curves. As soon, however, as thetrain arrives at a station and the gates D are opened, the gate F will be swung to the position shown at the bottom of said figure, so as to close the space E and prevent persons from being crowded therein. A

It is not necessary, as will readily be seen, that the gates F should be secured to the gates D by means of the arms m, as they may be se cured to or made to,operate in connection with said gates in any convenient or desirable manner.

WVhat I claim is' 1. The combination, with a gate arranged to close the side entrance to a car-platform, of an operating-handle located at or near the inner end of the platform guard-rail, and means conv 3. The combination, with a railway-car and its platform, having an end guard-rail, by which a side entrance thereto is provided, of a gate for closing said entrance, a rod, as f, sliding in or on guides secured to said guardrail, and a link, as 6, connected to said gate and rod, all substantially asdescribed.

4. The combination, with a railway-car and its platform, having an end guard-rail, by

which a side entrance thereto is provided, of

a swinging gate for closing said entrance, a rod, as f, sliding in or on a guide secured to said rail, a link, as 6, connected to said gate and rod, and means for locking said gate in its closed position, all substantially as described.

5. The combination, with gates arranged to close the side entrances to the adjoining plat forms of two cars, of rods, as f, sliding in or on guides secured to the guard-rails of said platforms, and links, as 6, connected to said gates and rods, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with gates, as D, arranged to close the side entrances to the adjoining platforms of two cars, and a gate, as F, arranged to close the space between said plat- In testimony whereof I have hereunto set 1c my hand in the presence of two subscribing forms, of operating-handles located at or near witnesses.

the inner ends of the platform guard-rails,

5 and means connecting said gates and handles,

whereby the attendant may open and close said 'gates simnltaneouslywhile standing at the end of said rails, substantially as described.

WM. W. ROSENFIELD.

Witnesses:

J AS. A. HOVEY, 'I. H. PALMER. 

